The Perils of Jaywalking
by kwittbugginme
Summary: I hope the title says it all, for if I said more, I'd give the story away.


The Perils of Jaywalking  
by Kris  
disclaimer: I own nothing of the show Emergency! I do own the character Mike Burd though, he's ALL MINE!rubs hands together maniacally

-E!-

John Gage had just poured himself a cup of coffee when the tones went off.

'Station 51, auto pedestrian accident, 3400 block South Federal, 3-4-0-0- South Federal. Time out 0824.' Dispatch came over the loudspeakers.

John sighed as he pushed himself away from the sink. 'Another one bites the dust. Let's just hope that the driver stays on the scene this time.'

'Yeah,' Chet Kelly piped up as he headed for the engine.

Roy DeSoto, John's friend and partner for the past five years, opened the door to the squad and slid behind the wheel. 'That's the fifth call for that particular street this month.'

'It's actually the eighth in the past three months and it's that whole section between the two lights.' John said. 'There's a half-mile stretch between the two lights and a school on the west side of the street and a row of apartment buildings and that new restaurant on the east side. I guarantee you it's a stupid jaywalker again.'

'I'm getting tired of them.' Roy grumbled as he pulled out of the station and onto the street.

With John's deft navigating they were on the scene in just seven minutes. When they pulled up to where the pedestrian was, they saw that there were several sheriff's vehicles as well as some news crews strategically placed along the boulevard.

John walked up to the victim. 'What we got, Vince?' he asked the deputy on the scene.

'A kid, John, a stinkin', lousy kid.' Spat Vince, 'He was crossing the street less than a half-block from the damn cross-walk when he was hit.' Vince pointed to the car and driver. 'Mr McGee over there was clocked at going fifty in a forty when he slammed on his brakes to attempt to avoid the kid, but as you can see, he failed.'

Roy dropped down next to the kid and gently turned the boy onto his back. 'How you doin'?' he gently asked the teen aged boy.

'I hurt, can you stop the pain?' the boy spoke with a heavy Hispanic accent.

'Take it easy now,' John squatted down and took the kid's left wrist in his hand and started taking the pulse. He looked at Roy and shook his head. 'Better get Rampart on the line, this kid needs to go now!'

Roy got Rampart on the line while John looked over the crowd that was gathering on the grass of the school grounds. 'He Vince?' he called the deputy over.

'Yeah Johnny?'

'What school is this? Last I heard it was a Catholic College.'

'It's now a group of schools, including schools linked to Carson's public schools. There's also a junior college in here that's linked to UCLA I think.' Vince scratched his head. 'Ya know, I think there was less foot traffic with this place when it was a Catholic College.'

'I think you're right.' Roy agreed. 'His bp is stable Johnny. Any word on the ambulance?'

'ETA is four minutes.' John said as he started the IV and handed Roy the splint kit so he could splint the kid's leg before they put him on the backboard. 'Okay kid, we're going to move you gently and put you on a backboard. We'll go nice and easy. All we ask is that you let us do all the work, okay?'

'Okay,' the fifteen-year-old spoke softly. 'God I hurt.' He was really hurting now. 'What happened?'

'Well, near as I can tell, you were hit by a car as you were crossing the street.' John said. 'Now stay still, let us do all the work.' He looked at Roy and nodded. 'On 3. 1-2-3!' the two men gently rolled the young man to one side then slid the board under him then rolled him back. They began strapping him to the board including his head. One of the first things they had done before they had even called Rampart was they had put a C-collar on him so once they rolled him, they knew that his neck was protected.

Once the ambulance arrived, Roy stood, 'I'll ride in with him.'

'Okay,' John said. He began picking up the trash from the site before he followed Roy to the hospital.

As he was picking up the trash he watched as the news crews filmed more people jaywalking, including one brash young man who jaywalked right into an officer's arms and a ninety-four dollar ticket. John just shook his head as he entered the cab of the squad and started the engine. He was about ready to leave the scene when a car came racing up the hill and just as he crested, the light at the intersection a half-block south of where he was turned red. John heard the screeching of brakes and the crunch of metal on metal.

He quickly called the accident in then went to see if anyone needed any help. Two Sheriff deputies came to the scene and helped John to assess the vehicles and their occupants.

Officer Mike Burd got to the car of the driver who ran the red light and shook his head. 'Just what in the word were you thinking?' he asked the driver, who was sitting there with his hands on the wheel looking somewhat terrified.

'That I might want to slow down?' He said rather cheekily.

Burd tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge. 'Need a crowbar over here.'

John ran over with one. 'What ya got Mike?'

'Stupid driver of the day, John.' Mike took the crowbar and proceeded to open the door. 'Okay skippy, you're coming with me.' The smell of marijuana was strong.

'You sure he's all right?' John asked.

'Not a scratch on him.' Mike stated. 'Lucky bastard walks away. How's the other driver?'

'Not as lucky.' John shook his head. 'Three people in the car, a mother and her two children. On their way to school right up there.' John hitched a thumb at the school building in the background. 'Mother DOA, one of the kids has a broken leg the other was in a child seat so he's going to be just fine.'

The driver of the first car heard this and paled. 'Whoa, did I do that?'

'Yup, and when I get you processed you'll be told of the charges against you, so I hope you have a good lawyer.' Burd smirked. 'They get dumber every day, Johnny.'

'Yup.' John turned as the sound of arriving ambulance and tow trucks drew his attention. 'Hey, I need to go, Roy's probably chompin' at the bit wonderin' why I'm not there to pick him up yet.'

'See ya later, Johnny.'

'Yeah, you too, Mike.' John again got into his squad and this time was able to leave the scene and head off to Rampart.

Rampart General  
Emergency Department

'Well, it's about time.' Roy exclaimed.

'Sorry Roy, but if you'd had your HT on, you would have heard about the accident that occurred at the intersection just as I was getting ready to leave the scene.' John leaned on his elbows on the counter. He looked around. 'I had to help.'

'I know, sorry I snapped. I need some coffee.' Roy admitted.

'Me too.' John agreed. 'Let's go get some, my treat.'

Roy started to head off then stopped, 'Wait…your treat?'

'Yup, I'm buying.' John said.

'Will wonders never cease?' Roy shook his head and followed his partner out the door.

A/N:

This story was inspired by something that's happening in the city of Denver. Several people have been hit jaywalking across South Federal Boulevard at various times of day leaving one dead. Now unfortunately, most of these people were victims of hit-and-runs. I chose not to write about that. Further up the road, more people have been hit and also victims of hit-and-runs. One included an 11 year-old boy on his way home from a local Denny's restaurant. Now, what I cannot understand, is why this kid and his cousin were doing crossing the middle of the street just a few dozen feet away from a crosswalk that had a signal. Why couldn't ANY of these people take the extra time to go to the closest intersection and use the crosswalk signal and legally and safely cross the street? It boggles me. It also scares me as I drive down this road twice a day at least twice a week and I see for myself the idiocy of these people. Some of them are parents carrying their children in their arms or pushing their strollers, or heaven forbid, walking their kids across the street with the toddler's hand in theirs. Very, very scary.  
Anyway, just wanted to vent and this is how I chose to do it.


End file.
